November 15, 2018 | Local, Land
by Yves Engler
Will they cancel the contract or won't they? In order to understand Ottawa's decision making process regarding General Dynamics' massive arms deal with Saudi Arabia one must look closely at industry lobbyists.
While the Trudeau government is under substantial public pressure to rescind the $15 billion Light Armored Vehicle sale, to do so would challenge the company and the broader corporate lobby.
Last week a senior analyst with the GD-financed Canadian Global Affairs Institute boldly defended the LAV sale. "There has been no behavior by the Saudis to warrant canceling this contract", said David Perry to the London Free Press. Perry must have missed the Kingdom's violence in Yemen, repression in eastern Saudi Arabia and consulate murder in Istanbul.
Two weeks ago Perry told another interviewer that any move to reverse the LAV sale would have dire consequences. "There would be geopolitical implications. There would be a huge number of economic implications, both immediately and in the wider economy... canceling this, I think, would be a big step because as far as I understand the way that we look at arms exports, it would effectively mean that we've changed the rules of the game."
Amidst an earlier wave of criticism towards GD's LAV sale, the Canadian Global Affairs Institute published a paper titled "Canada and Saudi Arabia: A Deeply Flawed but Necessary Partnership" that defended the $15-billion deal. At the time of its 2016 publication at least four of the institute's "fellows" wrote columns justifying the sale, including an opinion piece by Perry published in the Globe and Mail Report on Business that was headlined "Without foreign sales, Canada's defense industry would not survive."
Probably Canada's most prominent foreign policy think tank, Canadian Global Affairs Institute is a recipient of GD's "generous" donations. Both GD Land Systems and GD Mission Systems are listed among its "supporters" in recent annual reports, but the exact sum they've given the institute isn't public.
The Conference of Defence Associations Institute also openly supports GD's LAV sale. Representatives of the Ottawa-based lobby/think tank have writtencommentaries justifying the LAV sale and a 2016 analysis concluded that "our own Canadian national interests, economic and strategic, dictate that maintaining profitable political and trade relations with ‘friendly' countries like Saudi Arabia, including arms sales, is the most rational option in a world of unpleasant choices." Of course, the Conference of Defence Associations Institute also received GD money and its advisory board includes GD Canada's senior director of strategy and government relations Kelly Williams.
Full article: https://original.antiwar.com/yves_engler/2018/11/13/saudi-arabia-and-the-canadian-arms-lobby/
October 18, 2023 | Local, Naval, Security
South Korea's Hanwha Ocean has pitched offers to build submarines to Canada, the Philippines and Poland, a company official said on Wednesday, as the country pushes to become one of the world's top four defence exporters.
November 5, 2018 | Local, Aerospace
Par Michel Cabirol Le Canada doit lancer au printemps 2019 un appel d'offres pour l'acquisition de 88 avions de combat. Il sera adressé aux cinq constructeurs de quatre pays sélectionnés en février dernier : Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Dassault Aviation, Airbus Defense and Space et Saab AB. Le dossier de renouvellement de la flotte d'avions de combat canadiens arrive bientôt dans sa phase cruciale. Le Canada doit lancer au printemps 2019 un appel d'offres (RFP) pour l'acquisition de 88 avions de combat. Il sera adressé aux cinq constructeurs de quatre pays sélectionnés par Ottawa en février dernier : Boeing ainsi que Lockheed Martin associé à Pratt and Whitney (Etats-Unis), Dassault Aviation (avec Thales DMS France, Thales Canada, et Safran Aircraft Engines), Airbus Defense and Space (Grande-Bretagne) et Saab AB (Suède). Le vainqueur de la compétition, qui devra livrer le premier appareil en 2025 et les derniers en 2031, sera désigné fin 2021, début 2022. "Il y a trois ans, nous nous trouvions dans une impasse avec ce processus, a rappelé jeudi dernier la ministre des Services publics et de l'Approvisionnement et de l'Accessibilité Carla Qualtrough. Aujourd'hui, je suis heureuse de vous apprendre que cette entreprise ambitieuse a repris son élan". En novembre 2016, le Canada avait lancé un appel d'offres afin de moderniser sa flotte de combat tout en restant partenaire du programme F-35 de Lockheed Martin. Une décision qui allait à l'encontre de la promesse du gouvernement canadien faite en 2010 d'acquérir 65 F-35. Une intention d'achat qui n'a pas résisté à l'inflation des prix du F-35. Des F-18 d'occasion pour faire la jonction Où en est-on aujourd'hui? Après avoir lancé le processus en décembre 2017, puis désigné les constructeurs admissibles en février, Ottawa a remis la semaine dernière un projet d'appel d'offres aux six avionneurs. Ces derniers disposent d'un délai d'environ huit semaines pour envoyer leurs commentaires, qui seront utilisés par le Canada en vue de peaufiner et finaliser l'appel d'offres (RFP, Request for proposal). Une fois le document envoyé aux six constructeurs, ces derniers enverront leur proposition initiale au Canada à l'hiver 2019-2020. Ensuite, elles seront évaluées entre 2020 et 2021 et pourront faire l'objet d'une négociation si nécessaire. "Nous travaillerons avec les fournisseurs, au cours des mois à venir, sur cette ébauche, a expliqué Carla Qualtrough. La demande de propositions officielle sera distribuée aux fournisseurs admissibles le printemps prochain". En attendant la livraison du premier avion de combat en 2025, Ottawa travaille avec le gouvernement australien pour acheter 18 F-18 d'occasion et les pièces de rechange associées de la Royal Australian Air Force pour renforcer la flotte existante. "Nous prévoyons recevoir les deux premiers avions en 2019", a affirmé Carla Qualtrough. Initialement, le Canada avait prévu d'acheter des F-18 neufs à Boeing. Mais en décembre 2017, la ministre des Services publics a annoncé que le Canada n'a "pas l'intention de donner suite à l'offre du gouvernement américain pour des Super Hornet". Un contrat évalué à plus de 5 milliards de dollars qui passe sous le nez de Boeing en raison de la multiplication des conflits commerciaux avec les États-Unis. Play Video Des retombées technologiques et industrielles pour le Canada La nouvelle politique du Canada en matière de retombées industrielles et technologiques exige des groupes se voyant attribuer une commande dans la défense qu'ils investissent localement un montant égal à la valeur du contrat. Elle s'appliquera à l'appel d'offres des avions de combat. Les soumissionnaires seront donc invités à présenter leur meilleure proposition de valeur pour le Canada. Car ce critère a une influence directe sur le choix du vainqueur. À l'heure où le Canada amorce une période d'investissements importants dans la défense, le gouvernement a fixé une cible très ambitieuse de retombées économiques pour le pays. Il vise une augmentation de 40 % sur une période de dix ans des revenus de l'industrie de la défense canadienne. Les propositions seront également évaluées en fonction des coûts et des exigences techniques. Elles seront par ailleurs assorties d'une évaluation de l'incidence globale des soumissionnaires sur les intérêts économiques du Canada. Quel constructeur se rapprochera le plus d'un avion de combat "Made in Canada"? https://www.latribune.fr/entreprises-finance/industrie/aeronautique-defense/aviation-de-combat-le-canada-devrait-lancer-un-appel-d-offres-au-printemps-2019-795860.html
February 12, 2018 | Local, Aerospace
Richmond, BC - MDA, a Maxar Technologies company (formerly MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates Ltd.), (NYSE: MAXR; TSX: MAXR), announced today that it has signed a contract with an unnamed international customer. MDA will provide turnkey, unmanned aircraft system (UAS) surveillance services. The contract includes options for additional years. MDA's UAS service will use a fleet of Schiebel CAMCOPTER® S-100 rotary-wing unmanned aircraft to provide surveillance information. MDA will be responsible for all aspects of the service including acquisition of all the systems and required infrastructure, training, airworthiness, logistics, supply chain, maintenance and all flight operations. The S-100 aircraft is a vertical takeoff and landing UAS, which does not require a prepared area or supporting launch or recovery equipment. It operates day and night and is a very capable platform for a wide range of different surveillance payloads to meet a broad set of mission requirements. MDA's UAS service will equip the S-100 fleet with L3 WESCAM MX-10 EO/IR payloads. The MX-10 is a high-performance, multi-sensor multi-spectral imaging system for tactical surveillance missions. It carries multiple sensors including both high-definition day modes and night infrared modes. The MX-10 is currently operational for twelve nations worldwide on the S-100 including Naval Shipborne customers leading to a low risk, proven solution. Mike Greenley, group president of MDA said, “MDA is a global leader and trusted partner in UAS surveillance services in challenging, complex and hostile environments. This program is a key plank in our growth strategy, offering UAS services in many different environments, and for a diverse set of missions.” About MDA MDA is an internationally recognized leader in space robotics, satellite antennas and subsystems, surveillance and intelligence systems, defence and maritime systems, and geospatial radar imagery. MDA's extensive space expertise and heritage translates into mission-critical defence and commercial applications that include multi-platform command, control and surveillance systems, aeronautical information systems, land administration systems and terrestrial robotics. MDA is also a leading supplier of actionable mission-critical information and insights derived from multiple data sources. Founded in 1969, MDA is recognized as one of Canada's most successful technology ventures with locations in Richmond, Ottawa, Brampton, Montreal and Halifax. MDA is Maxar Technologies company (TSX: MAXR; NYSE: MAXR). For more information, visit www.mdacorporation.com. About Maxar Corporate Maxar Technologies (formerly MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates) is a leading global provider of advanced space technology solutions for commercial and government markets including satellites, Earth imagery, geospatial data and analytics. As a trusted partner, Maxar Technologies provides unmatched end-to-end advanced systems capabilities and integrated solutions expertise to help our customers anticipate and address their most complex mission critical challenges with confidence. With more than 6,500 employees in over 21 locations, the Maxar Technologies portfolio of commercial space brands includes: SSL, MDA, DigitalGlobe, and Radiant Solutions. Every day millions of people rely on Maxar Technologies to communicate, share information and data, and deliver insights that empower a better world. Maxar trades on the Toronto Stock Exchange and New York Stock Exchange as MAXR. For more information visit www.maxar.com. About Schiebel Founded in 1951, the Vienna-based Schiebel Group focuses on the development, testing and production of state-of-the-art mine detection equipment and the revolutionary CAMCOPTER® S-100 Unmanned Air System (UAS). Schiebel has built an international reputation for producing quality defense and humanitarian products, which are backed by exceptional after-sales service and support. Since 2010, Schiebel's composite division supplies high-tech customers with products of supreme carbon fiber technology – all quality-controlled to meet ISO 9001 standards. With headquarters in Vienna (Austria), Schiebel now maintains production facilities in Wiener Neustadt (Austria) and Abu Dhabi (UAE), as well as offices in Washington DC (USA) and Phnom Penh (Cambodia). Forward-Looking Statements This release contains forward-looking statements and information, which reflect the current view of Maxar Technologies Ltd. (the “Company”) with respect to future events and financial performance. The forward-looking statements in this regard include statements regarding the award of a contract with an unnamed customer. Any such forward-looking statements are based on the Company's current expectations, estimates, projections and assumptions in light of its experience and its perception of historical trends. The factors and assumptions underlying the forward-looking statements in this release include relevant contracts not being terminated. Any such forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations. The Company cautions readers that should certain risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary significantly from those expected. The risks that could cause actual results to differ from current expectations include, but are not necessarily limited to: changes in certain priorities, mandates, funding levels, contracts and regulations; satellite failure; failure of third parties and subcontractors; and failure to anticipate changes in technology, technical standards and offerings or compliance with the requisite standards, or failure to maintain technological advances and offer new products to retain customers and market position. For additional information with respect to certain of these risks or factors, plus additional risks or factors, reference should be made to the Company's continuous disclosure materials filed from time to time with Canadian and U.S. securities regulatory authorities, which are available online under the Company's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com, under the Company's EDGAR profile at www.sec.gov, or on the Company's website at www.maxar.com. For more information, please contact: Wendy Keyzer MDA Media Contact MDA Telephone: 1-604-231-2743 E-mail: wendy@mdacorporation.com Marissa Poratto MDA Investor Relations Telephone: 1-604-331-2044 E-mail: mporatto@maxar.com https://mdacorporation.com/news/pr/pr2018020901.html